Daily GK Updates - 24th July, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. LokSabha passes Bill to establish new NIT in Andhra Pradesh.

2. Kerala Government constitutes State Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation: The Kerala State Government constituted a State Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (STAGI) on the lines of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).The Group will advise the State government on the policies and practices to be adopted and implemented under the National Immunisation Programme.

3. 2016 set to be world’s hottest year on record as per a report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

4. Union Cabinet approves Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016: Through this Bill, the Government aims to evolve a mechanism for social, economic and educational empowerment of the transgender. The Bill will benefit a large number of transgender persons, mitigate the stigma, discrimination and abuse against this marginalized section and bring them into the mainstream of society.

5. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Ghatampur Thermal Power Project in Uttar Pradesh: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 20 July 2016 gave its approval for installation of Ghatampur Thermal Power Project (GTPS) of 1980 MW capacity through a Joint Venture Company.The Joint Venture Company is named as Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Limited (NUPPL). The company is formed jointly by Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited (NLC) and Uttar Pradesh RajyaVidyutUtpadan Nigam Limited (UPRVUNL).

6. Odisha Government to celebrate bicentenary of 1817 Paika revolt:Odisha Government on 19 July 2016 decided to celebrate the bicentenary (200 years) of the 1817 Paika revolt against the British Empire in 2016. For the purpose, the state will organise a series of events in Odisha and at national level.The decision was taken at a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Ashok Chandra Panda.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Annual electronic music festival Tomorrowland begins in Belgium: One of the biggest electronic music festivals Tomorrowland began on 22 July 2016 in Boom, Belgium. The year 2016 also marks Tomorrowland 10th edition. More than 350000 tickets for the festival were sold out in an hour of their opening in February 2016.

2. Facebook’s Aquila Internet drone completes first test flight: Facebook Inc. announced the successful completion of test flight of a solar-powered drone named Aquila.The social media giant believes that Aquila will help to extend Internet connectivity to every corner of the planet.The company ultimately hopes to have a fleet of Aquilas that can fly for at least three months at a time at 60000 feet and communicate with each other to deliver internet access.

SPORTS:

3. Neeraj Chopra becomes 1^st Indian to set world record in Junior athletics Championships: India’s Neeraj Chopra has won the javelin gold at the IAAF World under-20 athletics championship in Poland, setting a world record of 86.48m while South African Johan Gobler (80.59m) took the silver and Anderson Peters (79.65m) of Granada finished third.